Description
Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey Breast is a festive and flavorful holiday dish featuring tender, juicy turkey breast coated with a vibrant, tangy glaze made from fresh cranberries and oranges. This easy-to-make recipe offers a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors, elevating your holiday meal or special occasion dinner with a beautiful presentation and mouthwatering taste.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Turkey:
- 1 boneless, skinless turkey breast (3–4 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
For the Cranberry Orange Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries (or frozen, thawed)
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
- 2 tablespoons water (for cornstarch slurry, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for roasting the turkey breast.
- Season the Turkey: Rub the turkey breast all over with olive oil, then season generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried thyme to infuse flavor into the meat.
- Roast the Turkey: Place the seasoned turkey breast in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet and roast for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C) indicating it is fully cooked.
- Rest the Turkey: Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute, ensuring moist, tender slices.
- Prepare the Cranberry Orange Glaze: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, honey, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and ground ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and the mixture thickens, about 10-12 minutes.
- Thicken the Glaze (Optional): If a thicker glaze is desired, mix cornstarch with water to form a slurry, then stir into the cranberry mixture and cook for 1-2 additional minutes until thickened.
- Remove from Heat: Once the glaze reaches your preferred consistency, take it off the heat and set aside.
- Glaze the Turkey: Slice the rested turkey breast thinly and either drizzle the warm cranberry orange glaze on top or serve the glaze on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Ensure the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for food safety.
- Glaze can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
- Frozen cranberries must be thawed before use in the glaze.
- For more orange flavor, add extra orange zest to the glaze.
- Store leftover turkey and glaze separately to maintain consistency.
- The turkey breast can be wrapped in bacon before roasting for extra richness.
- Optional cornstarch thickening is based on your preferred glaze texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Roasting, Simmering
- Cuisine: American, Holiday
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 6 oz turkey with glaze)
- Calories: 335
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: Cranberry orange glazed turkey breast, holiday turkey recipe, festive turkey breast, cranberry glaze turkey, Thanksgiving turkey breast, Christmas turkey breast, citrus glazed turkey, easy turkey recipes
